The I of the Dragon

About

The I of the Dragon is a single player open world role playing game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Primal and was released on March 6, 2015. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

The world of Nimoa is as beautiful as the morning dew, but only at first glance. Under the surface of hills and fertile valleys lurks an old and eternal evil. Living as a mould, stretching threads through an infected area like deadly toadstools. The center of this "being?" deep in the under world is the giant daemon, Skarborr.GAMEPLAY You, the player, take the role of the young, inexperienced drag…

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Single-Player

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72%

Audience ScoreBased on 468 reviews

gameplay17 positive mentions

story17 negative mentions

Unique experience playing as a true flying, fire-breathing dragon with different dragon types offering varied playstyles.
Engaging RPG elements including leveling up, learning diverse spells, building and defending human towns, and terraforming mechanics.
Nostalgic charm with atmospheric music, interesting creature designs, and an addictive gameplay loop of flying, combat, and upgrading that holds up well for fans of classic games.

Clunky and difficult to master controls, with keyboard input issues and camera problems making gameplay frustrating for many players.
Bugs and crashes common on modern systems, especially on Steam due to missing files and lack of official fixes or remasters.
Repetitive gameplay and tedious segments where the player is forced to control weak human characters detract from the overall experience.

story
87 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
69%
20%
The story in the game is generally perceived as linear, simplistic, and somewhat weak, serving mostly as a backdrop to guide players through missions rather than providing a compelling narrative. While some appreciate the unique concept of playing as a dragon and find the storyline interesting once fully understood, many find it repetitive, underdeveloped, and occasionally confusing, especially with the inclusion of non-dragon missions that interrupt the flow. Overall, the story adds some context but is not a strong or memorable element of the game.
- “Drakengard is a very good linear game focused on story, and The I of the Dragon is somewhat linear too, but it gives you a feeling of freedom to explore the territories on the world map to do all the quests and eliminate all the lairs.”
- “This game is the opposite of terrible, it's an absolutely amazing game; everything but the graphics is awesome. The gameplay is really good, the story is great, the audio pretty good, with a large range of enemies and well-done animation. The camera settings include a first-person dragon-eye view which is awesome.”
- “I remember when I first played the demo, instantly falling in love with the story. I mean, you're a dragon? What's more to ask? It’s a game where you as a dragon have a mission to save the world from the evil Skarborr who wants to destroy it.”
- “Its age is showing with outdated graphics, clunky gameplay, and a story so straightforward as to almost be bland.”
- “The game has an unappealing story; the quests are boring and repetitive (go to an area, kill all the monsters, then go to another location and do the exact same thing over and over again).”
- “The story is ultra boring.”
gameplay
80 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
66%
13%
The gameplay is praised for its unique flying and dragon mechanics, addictive RPG-style loops, and creative elements like eating enemies to gain mana, offering a satisfying blend of familiar and fresh features. However, it suffers from clunky controls, outdated presentation, technical bugs, repetitive missions, and a steep difficulty spike that may frustrate modern players. Despite these flaws, many find the core gameplay compelling and worth experiencing, especially as a nostalgic look at early 2000s game design.
- “Flying mechanics are unique, takes skill to master!”
- “The important part is the gameplay loop: kill, eat, upgrade, defend.”
- “Gameplay-wise, it has this mix of familiar elements and small twists that keep things from feeling stale.”
- “Horrible pathfinding, horrible voice acting, tedious mission, repetitive gameplay.”
- “Its age is showing with outdated graphics, clunky gameplay, a story so straightforward as to almost be bland, and a camera which is constantly trying to get you killed.”
- “On the negative side, everything else: the graphics (N64 style), the UI (won't resize with resolution, so you'd better stay on 720p), the controls (so clunky you'll feel like playing a flight simulator - no joypad support and no keys remap), the gameplay (you... kill magical spiders with fireballs?), the story (there is one?) and the game itself (for example, it freezes every time an in-game window pops up).”
graphics
62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
63%
18%
The graphics are widely regarded as outdated and simplistic, reflective of the game's early 2000s origin, with some comparing them to N64 or PS1 quality. However, many reviewers appreciate the artistic style and spell effects, noting that the visuals still convey immersion and complement the gameplay well. While the graphics may deter those expecting modern visuals, fans praise the game's charm and express interest in remasters or graphical improvements.
- “Every part of the game — the visuals, the sound, the pacing — kind of blends into this feeling that you’re actually inside its world, even if you’re just casually playing.”
- “The graphics are simple but timeless enough to not make the game bad today. There is a pretty cool terrain deformation system; some spells let you raise mountains or volcanoes from the ground, and I mean a 100 meter tall wall of earth. You're giant compared to the tiny humans, one badly placed spell might tear down half of the city you just helped build.”
- “This game is the opposite of terrible, it's an absolutely amazing game, why it is, is because everything but the graphics is awesome. The graphics themselves aren't too bad though considering the age of this game, but the gameplay is really good, the story is great, the audio pretty good and some of the sounds are funny and strange. There is a large range of enemies, animation is really well done and not to mention the camera settings as there is three; one of them which most players would like is an eyes camera, where you are actually seeing through the eyes of the dragon which is awesome.”
- “The graphics are horribly outdated, but the developers clearly did, in my opinion, the best they could with the limited technology available at the time (which, for the record, is over 20 years ago).”
- “On the negative side, everything else: the graphics (N64 style), the UI (won't resize with resolution, so you'd better stay on 720p), the controls (so clunky you'll feel like playing a flight simulator - but there is more, no joypad support and no keys remap), the gameplay (you... kill magical spiders with fireballs?), the story (there is one?) and the game itself (for example, it freezes every time an in-game window pops up).”
- “Combine that with clumsy controls, bugs, bad graphics, some absolutely cruel missions (exterminate every single monster in every friendly territory while monsters continue to flood in from neighboring hostile territories? Come on) and you get a game where you're constantly fighting against it to have any degree of fun.”
music
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
75%
6%
The game's music is widely praised for its memorable, nostalgic, and fitting soundtrack that evokes strong emotions and enhances the experience. However, many reviews mention issues with in-game music playback, particularly in certain versions or operating systems, which can be resolved through fan-made patches. While some prefer the original soundtrack over newer versions, the overall composition is regarded as a standout positive aspect.
- “The music brings back so many memories of my childhood.”
- “Flying at night with that music playing gives me goosebumps every single time.”
- “I got the soundtrack with this; it's composed well, so I paid for music that was definitely worth more than the game. Good job, music composer.”
- “As for negatives: the music is generic, the story is really weird.”
- “Also, they changed music (to worse) and English voice-over.”
- “Apparently, nobody can get the intro cinematic or any in-game music to play properly, too.”
stability
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
95%
The game suffers from frequent bugs, crashes, and freezes, especially on modern systems, with problematic keyboard controls, missing music, and menu-related freezes impacting stability. Though the original version ran better on older operating systems, the current Steam port feels cobbled together and unstable, making it borderline unplayable for some users. Despite these issues, a few players still find it enjoyable and fun as a nostalgic, old-school experience.
- “The game is a bit buggy, and already had to fix some of the bugs myself such as tutorial and dialogs not triggering.”
- “The controls are terrible, the binding for the controls don't save, and the game itself is completely buggy.”
- “Freezes up completely at the title screen.”
grinding
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
93%
Grinding in the game is a slow, repetitive, and often tedious experience, with enemies becoming tanky and missions feeling drawn out. While some players find the leveling and farming satisfying, others criticize poor controls, frustrating enemy AI, and monotonous gameplay mechanics that detract from the overall fun. However, dragon and RPG enthusiasts may still appreciate the grinding element despite its flaws.
- “The game is rather slow paced by default and turning all enemies into tanks that just take way too long to kill is not fun, only tedious.”
- “And clearing a location is rather tedious if there is no city, as the monster camps will be rebuilt if there are monsters left... and then they will spawn more.”
- “If you want to struggle with horrendous controls, awful camera, lack of story or direction, grindy gameplay and no fun, then this is the game for you.”
replayability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The game offers high replayability through diverse dragon builds and varied skill unlocks, providing distinct playstyles. However, some users feel the absence of a more open-ended, sandbox mode may limit long-term engagement. Enhancing replay value by combining the best mechanics could increase the game's popularity.
- “Great game with lots of replayability.”
- “They play very differently due to the 20 or so skills each of them unlocks, and as such I found the game pretty replayable.”
- “The lack of a more sandbox experience or game mode with more replayability might make you stop playing for a long time.”
- “If it is possible to mix the best mechanics of both games and add more replayability, I'm sure the game would be more popular than it is.”
- “The replay value is high just trying to see what different dragon builds can do.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
Optimization is generally criticized, with multiple users describing it as poor or horrendous, though some report acceptable performance despite these issues. Overall, optimization is a notable weak point even if the game runs adequately for some players.
- “Performance has been mostly fine.”
- “No complaints on performance.”
- “Immense nostalgia value, but the optimization is horrendous.”
- “Crappy code, horrendous optimization, okay-ish graphics, great game.”
- “Poor optimization, poor controls, wonky story.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users consistently praise the atmosphere, describing it as exceptionally immersive and a standout feature that immediately captures attention.
- “It's so atmospheric.”
- “The atmosphere is top tier.”
- “The first thing I noticed is the atmosphere.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The emotional experience is hindered by clunky controls and an unengaging, outdated story, resulting in stagnant gameplay and limited character depth. While it may have been notable in its time, it struggles to resonate with modern players.
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game features straightforward monetization with no microtransactions, offering a pure and satisfying experience that feels authentic rather than overly polished or commercialized.
- “It's just simple, unadulterated fun without microtransactions.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is subtle but effective, featuring funny and strange sounds that add charm without overshadowing gameplay. It includes playful nods to classic titles, enhancing the overall enjoyable experience.

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100h Median play time

100h Average play time

100-100h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

The I of the Dragon is a open world role playing game with fantasy theme.

The I of the Dragon is available on PC, Mac OS, Windows and Linux.

On average players spend around 100 hours playing The I of the Dragon.

The I of the Dragon was released on March 6, 2015.

The I of the Dragon was developed by Primal.

The I of the Dragon has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked The I of the Dragon for its gameplay but disliked it for its story.

The I of the Dragon is a single player game.

Similar games include Gothic 3, Prototype™, Dungeon Lords, SpellForce 2: Gold Edition, SpellForce: Platinum Edition and others.

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